(CNN) – Sen. Barack Obama pocketed two more of his party’s superdelegates Friday.

California congressmen Jim Costa and Dennis Cardoza are endorsing the Illinois senator, according to a statement released by his campaign.

“While I continue to greatly respect and admire Senator Clinton and feel she has made history with her campaign, I believe that Senator Obama will inevitably be our party’s nominee for President,” Cardoza, who had previously supported Sen. Hillary Clinton, said in the statement.

Cardoza also waded into the controversy over seating the Florida and Michigan delegations at the Democratic convention. “I will not support changing the rules in the fourth quarter of this contest through some convoluted DNC rules committee process. Yet, we must find a resolution” to the situation with Florida and Michigan, Cardoza said. “I believe we need to avoid this potentially divisive situation by uniting behind one nominee and bringing the party together immediately,” he added.

Costa said electability had helped drive his decision. “In my opinion, it is clear that Senator Obama will be the strongest presidential nominee for the Democratic Party,” Costa said in the statement released by the campaign.

Obama leads the delegate race with a total of 1,967 total delegates including 309 superdelegates, according to CNN’s latest tally. Clinton has 1,779 total delegates, including 279 superdelegates. The number of delegates necessary to claim the Democratic nomination is currently 2,026 but that number may change once the Democratic National Committee decides how to resolve the situation regarding the Florida and Michigan delegations.

The DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee is set to meet on May 31 and hear appeals from both states that were stripped of all their delegates to the convention because they held their primaries in violation of party rules.

soundoff(681 Responses)

Who does she think she is that she can change the rules? If she tries to do this before she is prez, just think what she'll try to do if the prez?

How can anyone support a person like this? Play by the rules. Don't cheat or cry about them.

May 23, 2008 12:34 pm at 12:34 pm |

James

Name one policy that you believe is worth throwing away all of the policy agreement between Obama and Clinton.

Even HRC is tell her supporters: support the Democrats.

McSame has only one road to the White House: for HRC supporters to sit this one out. If you want someone who has promised conservative judges, admits to not knowing much about economics and is unwilling to face the stupidity of getting involved with the Iraqi civil war, McCain is your man.

May 23, 2008 12:34 pm at 12:34 pm |

Sue in Florida

You are and never were a supporter when you turn coat and think
that another will win so best change your vote. Some of you who
are screaming at Florida and Michigan voters over what happened
to us, may you one day be in such a dilemma. We did not choose
this as individual voters, a handfull made that call. So you think that
all of us should be punished. You are so very warped in your thinking.
And don't go celebrating yet....Obama has not won the nomination and
he will not win the general election.....take that to the bank!

May 23, 2008 12:34 pm at 12:34 pm |

LastDems

This isn't a contest to see who picks the winning Nominee. These cowards who switch loyalties from Hillary to Barak are simply jumping on the media bandwagon instead of standing by their convictions. A superdelegate that switches loyalties, will never get my vote again.

May 23, 2008 12:34 pm at 12:34 pm |

Martha

If Obama picks Hillary as VP, she will try to find some way to push him out and slide into the number one spot. She definately can't be trusted.

May 23, 2008 12:34 pm at 12:34 pm |

George

no matter what some racist people say about Obama, he will win this genereal election. down with racism in America. i am a white guy. i hate racism. there is no place for racism in America.

May 23, 2008 12:34 pm at 12:34 pm |

martinObama08

The fact remains that Obama is gona be the Dem Nominee. Democrats should put the primary campaign behind them and unite for the fall. Super delegates should End this conflict now!!!!!!!!!

May 23, 2008 12:34 pm at 12:34 pm |

Chuck, Democrats United We Stand

Using Cardoza's words: “I will not support changing the rules in the fourth quarter of this contest through some convoluted DNC rules committee process. Changing the rules in the 4th quarter would cause a backlash for the DNC that would resound for years to come. Yes they need to seat the delegates, however they should not count in any way shape or form for or against the current DNC nomination process. That is just my opinion.

May 23, 2008 12:34 pm at 12:34 pm |

Rudy NYC

Has anyone noticed that the Obama lead in elected, pledged delegates has remained relatively constant since Feb. 5?

The lead has remained at roughly 140 delegates.

May 23, 2008 12:34 pm at 12:34 pm |

Jim

Well, since Florida did not recognize the vote that I cast for Hillary, and since 1.7 Million Democrats did go out and vote as this was the only day and chance we could, it just didnt count. Let's blame the people that are really responsible, and signed this into law. Charlie Christ. Our governor. Since they wont count my vote as a democrat, then I have no choice but to vote republican. At least I know when I vote it will count.

May 23, 2008 12:34 pm at 12:34 pm |

sammy

the problem with the USA now is the federal spending.
obama has said that he is just going to use the money from the way and divert it to domestic things this is going to mean you still have a huge deficit and in the time until the war is over and even bigger one.
this is going to force the dollar to remain low.

I don't think the DEM party realizes how many prior supporters have changed their registration–because of the two socialist "no resume" candidates Dean and his cronies are promoting.

There needs to be a third party for all those Americans who still possess rational brain activity, common sense, and believe in the principles of our founding fathers.

May 23, 2008 12:35 pm at 12:35 pm |

Dorothy Carr

I want to say to Barack Obama is to KIM IT!!!!!!!!

K. I. M=
KEEP IT MOVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

May 23, 2008 12:35 pm at 12:35 pm |

Farrell, Houston, Tx

It is clear that Hillary staying on the campaign trail is nothing more than political grand-standing for Chelsea at her supporters expense. She needs to give that little boy his $400 back. It's too bad her supporters didn't see her real reason when on numerous occasions the question was asked why she remained in the race knowing the numbers where totally against her. I sincerely believe Hillary will do anything and can't be trusted.

May 23, 2008 12:35 pm at 12:35 pm |

Joe Regis

Hillary who?

Billary who?

May 23, 2008 12:35 pm at 12:35 pm |

Ted van Tol

to ObamaOsama above!

(Only the name you choose! Very poor!)

Obama will defeat McCain easely!
He is just starting his campaign and will reunite Democrats
(including Hillary Clinton) ,independents and lots of decent Republicans.
This world will cellebrate this new President of the USA.
His wind of change is around the whole world and so many
people are hopefull for a better world. We, here in Europe are
big Obama fans and he is very welcome in my country, the Netherlands.
And what will you have? A hart full off hate and anger.
And thats just what this world don't need , you cannot stay behind
because you already are in the same train to the future!'

You should be very greatfull!

With love from the Netherlands

May 23, 2008 12:36 pm at 12:36 pm |

SuperDelegate

Florida and Michigan state democrats broke the rules. They thought that because they are swing states that they could do whatever they wanted and believed it was a well calculated risk. They were wrong.

They DNC cannot backdown or every state (swing or otherwise) will be moving their primaries or caucuses before Xmas, with each one trying to out do the other. It would lead to chaos and a disaster for the nomination process.

However because of the fuss Hilary has made about this and also the the devisiveness she is causing in the party they will have to compromise (just not the way she wants- that will be her punishment for putting them in this situation in the first place ).

They only way out of this mess is to split all delegates 50-50, or strip both states of 50% of their delegates and then try and divide the remaining ones as they see fit.

Either way a punishment will have to be enforced if the DNC are to retain party discipline and authority, but maybe not as harshly as before with 100% stripping.

Hilary there is a thin line between being a die-hard fighter and a bully. You cannot bully your way to the nomination. If you wish to self-destruct then go ahead, because one way or another you are going to be out of the game. There are very few options left for you now because you have ticked off too many of your colleagues; even the senate will be a hostile environment for you for a very long time.

May 23, 2008 12:36 pm at 12:36 pm |

Terri

DEAD BEATS

HILLARY OR MCCAIN

May 23, 2008 12:36 pm at 12:36 pm |

Catherine

Being a democrat who would have been fine with either Obama or Clinton, I have found Clinton's recent position regarding the Mich/Fla situation extremely disturbing. To me she is going outside the realm of reason to further her personal ambitions. It is extremely disappointing to watch such an intelligent woman make these disingenuous arguments. It feels a bit irrational.

I believe Cardoza is spot on when he says that it is time to unite the party and put an end to this. The other supers need to act now. To not do so is short sighted and a bit weak.

May 23, 2008 12:36 pm at 12:36 pm |

Dee Tee Gee Arlington, TX

How can Hillary backers support their candidate wanting to change the rules because she's losing? If the situation were reversed, there's no way she'd want to seat Florida & Michigan. You really want someone who goes back & forth like that? You want someone who goes from saying "I have the blue collar, working, older WHITE people voting for me" to "There's been sexist behavior towards me". Excuse after excuse after excuse. She's staying in this race trying to come up with something to steal the nomination. The Supers are lining up behind Obama & it's obvious to see. She ran a decent campaign but she came up short. She underestimated Obama & then went negative & it didn't work. She never thought she'd lose Iowa, much less come in 3rd. She underestimated the American people. She thought the vast majority of the majority would never vote for a black person, and when they did she started catering to the group that she knew wouldn't vote for him, the older white people living in rural areas.
She's doesn't acknowledge the Hispanics anymore, a group she relentlessly went after here in Texas. Hillary's not stable enough to be a President. We've seen her emotions get the best of her on a number of occasions, & it's obvious that she has a serious problem with losing to a black person. You can tell in these moves of desperation. She should give it up, seriously.

May 23, 2008 12:36 pm at 12:36 pm |

Oregon calling -

Sweet! Please anyone but hillary as the vp :-)

May 23, 2008 12:36 pm at 12:36 pm |

jed

As a woman, I am disappointed by the emotional reaction of so many women now that Hillary will not be the nominee. It just reinforces the worst stereotypes of women that we are too emotional to make logical choices.

So because these Hillary supporting women are so "mad" and "angry" and "frustrated", they will consider voting Republican, instead of for the candidate (Obama) whose policy platform and plans for the country is almost identical to Hillary's.

Maybe as women, we are putting ourselves back about fifty years by acting so silly.

May 23, 2008 12:36 pm at 12:36 pm |

carrie

i am beginning to feel sorry for hillary.
but the attitude of her supporters make me happier that obama is kicking her old,pantsuit clad butt.
no sympathy for you,hillary
thanks to ur vile supporters
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha